Definition

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, or ESWT for short, represented an effective and gentle treatment method for a variety of internal and orthopedic diseases. It is often an alternative to surgery .

stosswellentherapie orthopaedie freiburg

Mode of action

Shock wave therapy has the following effects on the body:

  • Stimulation of regeneration processes
  • Improvement of blood circulation
  • Improvement of bone healing
  • Pain relief
  • Dissolution of stone or lime deposits

Shock wave therapy uses a special device to direct sound waves specifically at the area of the body to be treated. In addition to regeneration processes, shock wave therapy also triggers numerous other processes in the body.

Areas of application

Shock wave therapy is used for the following orthopedic conditions, among others:

  • Shoulder joint: Calcareous shoulder (Tendinitis calcarea), shoulder impingement syndrome (impingement)
  • Elbow joint: tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
  • Hip joint: bursitis (bursitis trochanterica)
  • Knee joint: patellar tendinitis, Runner's knee (Tractus-iliotibialis syndrome), Osgood-Schlatter disease, Sinding-Larson-Johansson disease
  • Foot and ankle: Achillodynia, heel spur
  • Non-healing or poorly healing bone fractures (pseudoarthroses)

Originally, shock wave therapy was used in the context of kidney stone disease, as kidney stones can be shattered by the sound waves from the outside. In recent decades, the effectiveness of shock waves has been discovered in orthopedic diseases.

Treatment process

Shock wave therapy takes place on an outpatient basis and without anesthesia. One session lasts between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the clinical picture; several sessions may be necessary. The shock wave therapy device is placed on the area to be treated, and the sound waves are clearly audible. If the pain is severe, the examiner may apply a local anesthetic to the area to be treated. However, this is rarely necessary.

stosswellen therapie freiburg

Side effects

Possible side effects may include:

  • Pain
  • Reddening of the skin in the treated area
  • Bruise on the treated area

Shock wave therapy is a treatment option with very few side effects. If pain occurs after treatment, painkillers from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be taken.

FAQs

Shockwave therapy must not be performed on children and adolescents, nor on pregnant women. Cancer or inflammation in the area to be treated are also exclusion criteria. Persons with blood coagulation disorders or pacemakers should also not be treated with shock wave therapy.

During shock wave therapy, pain may occur depending on the type of shock waves and the area to be treated. If the pain is already very severe during the therapy, a local anesthetic can be applied to the area to be treated. After the treatment, painkillers from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be taken.

On the day of your treatment, you will come to our practice. You do not need to take any special precautions beforehand. The shock wave therapy device will be placed on the respective area and you will be able to hear the shock waves clearly during the treatment. After about 10-15 minutes, the treatment is over and you may go home. If necessary, further sessions will take place at a weekly interval.

You do not usually need to take any special precautions after treatment. If you experience severe pain, take it easy on the respective area for a few days and take painkillers from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) .

Shock wave therapy stimulates self-healing processes in our body, the course of which takes some time. For this reason, the success of shock wave therapy can only be conclusively assessed after two to three months . Ideally, however, your symptoms should be alleviated earlier.

Statutory health insurers do not usually cover the costs of shock wave therapy (only in the case of heel spurs after six months of other conservative therapy), so in most cases it is a self-pay service. However, in individual cases and depending on the health insurance company, the costs are covered, so it is worth asking your health insurance company. Private health insurances usually cover the costs of shock wave therapy.

If you have any further questions or would like to make an appointment with us, please do not hesitate to contact us at 0761 7077300, by email info@orthozentrum-freiburg.de or via our contact form. You are also welcome to book an appointment via the online platform www.doctolib.de or via the Doctolib App.